Thursday 31 January 2019
Sunday 27 January 2019
Batch Reviews #11
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe (✮✮✮✮ - 4/5 stars)
Publishing Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 384
My Review: From the epigraph alone, I could tell that I was going to enjoy Philippe's writing. We follow Norris, who is a French Canadian teen, who recently moves to Texas because his mom got a new teaching gig. He is at first determined to hate it, and spends him time thinking about going back to Canada where he can be reunited with his best friend, Eric. The guidance counselor gives Norris a notebook and he treats it like a little guide book where he writes down his findings about various highschool tropes and stereotypes. He slowly finds himself making unlikely friendships with Liam, Madison, and Aarti, and he even starts up a little hockey team! I have to admit that I found Norris kind of insufferable at times, but I liked that he was able to demonstrate real growth in the text. My favorite character was definitely Maddie. She is just an all-around good human being. There are great Canadian references that I really appreciated, and most of all, this book reminds us of the very important rule of not to judge things and people solely based on appearance, because they will surprise you, and sometimes in the best way possible. This was a great debut from Philippe, and I can't wait to see what he writes next.
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.* #IndigoEmployee
The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli (✮✮ - 2/5 stars)
Publishing Date: February 5, 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352
My Review: Based on the premise alone, the book sounded like it had a lot of potential. I quite enjoyed the beginning learning about Raina and her relationship with her grandmother raising her. It takes place in Toronto, and while Raina is still getting over an ex, she finds herself catering to her grandma and going on dates to meet suitors that her grandma has chosen. I liked the idea that the various dates were given separate chapters, and as a list maker myself, how lists were used in the book. That being said, this book quickly angered me. There's a moment in the text that Raina pretends to be gay so that her grandmother will stop pressuring her to go on dates. It spirals out of control, and worst, Raina keeps this lie going on for quite some time. Although she laments over it, and admits that she was a coward for not changing the narrative sooner, this really bothered me, and I don't even know how someone who identifies as gay would approach this. Raina as a character was extremely unlikable. She would attempt to justify poor behavior or just half-ass apologize for certain things. It's really hard to enjoy the book when you, as a reader, ultimately don't root for the protagonist. With so much potential, I found the instance of sexuality, and character growth poorly handled.
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 384
My Review: From the epigraph alone, I could tell that I was going to enjoy Philippe's writing. We follow Norris, who is a French Canadian teen, who recently moves to Texas because his mom got a new teaching gig. He is at first determined to hate it, and spends him time thinking about going back to Canada where he can be reunited with his best friend, Eric. The guidance counselor gives Norris a notebook and he treats it like a little guide book where he writes down his findings about various highschool tropes and stereotypes. He slowly finds himself making unlikely friendships with Liam, Madison, and Aarti, and he even starts up a little hockey team! I have to admit that I found Norris kind of insufferable at times, but I liked that he was able to demonstrate real growth in the text. My favorite character was definitely Maddie. She is just an all-around good human being. There are great Canadian references that I really appreciated, and most of all, this book reminds us of the very important rule of not to judge things and people solely based on appearance, because they will surprise you, and sometimes in the best way possible. This was a great debut from Philippe, and I can't wait to see what he writes next.
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.* #IndigoEmployee
Publishing Date: February 5, 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352
My Review: Based on the premise alone, the book sounded like it had a lot of potential. I quite enjoyed the beginning learning about Raina and her relationship with her grandmother raising her. It takes place in Toronto, and while Raina is still getting over an ex, she finds herself catering to her grandma and going on dates to meet suitors that her grandma has chosen. I liked the idea that the various dates were given separate chapters, and as a list maker myself, how lists were used in the book. That being said, this book quickly angered me. There's a moment in the text that Raina pretends to be gay so that her grandmother will stop pressuring her to go on dates. It spirals out of control, and worst, Raina keeps this lie going on for quite some time. Although she laments over it, and admits that she was a coward for not changing the narrative sooner, this really bothered me, and I don't even know how someone who identifies as gay would approach this. Raina as a character was extremely unlikable. She would attempt to justify poor behavior or just half-ass apologize for certain things. It's really hard to enjoy the book when you, as a reader, ultimately don't root for the protagonist. With so much potential, I found the instance of sexuality, and character growth poorly handled.
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: October 9, 2018
Publisher: Scribner
Pages: 256
My Review: I always enjoy reading a good celebrity book and I particularly enjoy ones from 'funny people' - I've seen some of Kemper's work from The Office, and some movies, so I knew of her. I was quite excited to learn more about her from this book, but I found it quite dragging about 1/3 of the way in. I found myself reading mostly for references to The Office, because the other parts didn't really hold my attention unfortunately. Sure, Kemper's funny, but it was more of a ha-ha funny, and less so much laughing out loud funny. Perhaps it's the writing style, but unfortunately this was not my cup of tea. I think those that maybe have watched Kimmy Schmidt, might enjoy it more? The story that I enjoyed most was titled "Hero" about her school teacher named Ms. Romanoff, and the gift of the plush toy.
Available for Purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Audible - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday 23 January 2019
Blog Tour: Enchantée by Gita Trelease - Review and Author Q&A
Publishing Date: February 5, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 464
Young Adult Historical Fantasy
The Premise from the Publisher: "Paris is a labyrinth of twisted streets filled with beggars and thieves, revolutionaries and magicians. Camille Durbonne is one of them. She wishes she weren't... When smallpox kills her parents, Camille must find a way to provide for her younger sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on magic, Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy food and medicine they need. But when the coins won't hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family's savings, Camille pursues a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Using dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into a baroness and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for magic. As she struggles to reconcile her resentment of the rich with the allure of glamour and excess, Camille meets a handsome young inventor, and begins to believe that love and liberty may both be possible. But magic has its costs, and soon Camille loses control of her secrets. And when revolution erupts, Camille must choose-love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, reality of magic-before Paris burns" (Flatiron)
My overall thoughts and review: I've had a fascination with all things France and Parisian related for as long as I can remember. It's been years since I've been to Paris, but that city will always hold a special place in my heart. There's just something so fascinating about the time of Marie Antoinette and the french court that has always intrigued me. My favorite movie is even Marie Antoinette. I was over the moon excited when I first heard about the premise of this book. This was exactly what I wanted in a book and when I finally finished it, I was over the moon impressed and this definitely goes down as one of my favorite YA reads of 2019 (and we are only in the beginning of the year)!
The story follows Camille, who is struggling to find a way to make ends meet, with a younger sister who isn't well, and an older brother, who gambles away most of their money. Her family has always dabbled a bit in la magie, which is magic that was once incredibly popular at the court of Louis, the Sun King, but now a taboo topic. She turns scraps of metal into coins, but she finds that she needs to do more when her brother threatens the safety of her and her sister, Sophie. She finds an enchanted object among her mother's possessions, and is able to glamour herself to look like an aristocrat. From there, Camille has the plan to disguise herself as a widow, and to play cards at court to earn some money. However, the cost of practicing la magie like that is that it requires real blood and sorrow, so it's quite draining on Camille physically. There she finds herself dealing with when to stop using la magie, and seeing the reality of what it's doing to her and her relationships. I just really liked Camille as a character because she was so strong but also you could really see her struggle with her class, and the pressure she felt to provide for her and Sophie. There's moments where she struggles with her identity and I feel like reading something like that can really translate to today's readers even. We attempt to fit in with certain clothes, makeup, etc, and at times, it can become unclear where the "real" you begins and ends. Camille was incredibly relatable as a character, and you'll find yourself just rooting for her and hoping for a good outcome for her.
To keep this to the point and without spoilers, Camille finds herself actually building a little friendship group at Versailles which was great to see (I loved Chandon!), and the romance is quite lovely in the book too. You also really see the strength in the bond between the two sisters and that was great to see. Lastly, I loved seeing Versailles as the backdrop because I honestly loved going there so much. It's definitely my favorite place to see in France. There's a lot of growth for the characters, twists and turns in terms of plot, and a bit of history about la magie which was nice to tie it all together. This book was like the perfect blend of historical fiction with elements of fantasy and magic. I loved this book and it was a wonderful standalone by Trelease. I can't wait to see what else she writes next. If you loved Caraval by Stephanie Garber, you will definitely enjoy this one!
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ - 5/5 stars
Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository
Author Question and Answer
Q: Can you tell us a bit about the title and why you chose it? And can you tell us some places in Paris that inspired your text?
A: I knew I wanted a French title for the book, and I love one-word titles, even though they can be hard to come up with! In French, “Enchantée” means “Enchanted.” It’s also something people say when they’re first introduced; in English, I could say, “Pleased to meet you,” but in French I’d say, “Enchantée.” (Sometimes in old movies you’ll hear people say, “Charmed, I’m sure,” which is similar.) Enchantée felt like the perfect title because my protagonist, Camille, has to be introduced into the very strange and etiquette-bound world of the French court. She also becomes enchanted by that world against her will. Camille’s also a magician, so she has to work her own kinds of enchantments. As a title, Enchantée just seemed rich with possibilities!Thank you so much for dropping by the blog today, Gita!! :D
Paris is my favorite city. I placed Camille’s apartment just north of where I once lived in the Marais district, when I was teaching English in Paris. Camille visits the Place des Vosges, a beautiful square built in the seventeenth century, when it was the most fashionable place to live; the grand mansions of the Marais (some of which now house the Picasso Museum and the Musée Carnavalet), and the cathedral of Notre-Dame. One of the things I love about Paris is that many of these places remain virtually unchanged since 1789.
Don't forget to swing by the other blogs for more content from Trelease and to check out their reviews! :D
Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by Raincoast Books for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own.
Sunday 20 January 2019
[Release Blitz] We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland
A Standalone Contemporary Romance
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Vi Keeland
Saturday 19 January 2019
Most Anticipated Releases for 2019 | YA Edition
Hi everyone! I'm back with another one of these posts since my previous one, the romance edition, was well received. I'm already reading so many arcs for this year, so my pre-order list is going to be absolutely mahoosive. It was so hard to narrow down my most anticipated YA reads because so many are coming out! I might do one at the half way point in the year to cover all the second half of the year releases though ;)
On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
PUB DATE: FEBRUARY 5, 2019
PUB DATE: MAY 7, 2019
PRE-ORDER: Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
10:00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she's just performed her hit song "Heartbeat" in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She's about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She's in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger. 11:00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She's very cute. He's maybe curious. 12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.
PUB DATE: MAY 28, 2019
PRE-ORDER: Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Mia and Jake have known each other their whole lives. They've endured summer vacations, Sunday brunches, even dentist visits together. Their mothers, who are best friends, are convinced that Mia and Jake would be the perfect couple, even though they can't stand to be in the same room together. After Mia's mom turns away yet another cute boy, Mia and Jake decide they've had enough. Together, they hatch a plan to get their moms off their backs. Permanently. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time-and then they'll be free. It's the perfect plan - except that it turns out maybe Mia and Jake don't hate each other as much as they once thought.
PUB DATE: MAY 7, 2019
PRE-ORDER: Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together. An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are. But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry. When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break. Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her. Then her path crosses with Adam’s. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister. Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father. Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals. Until a marvel and an oddity occurs…Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting. Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.
PUB DATE: JULY 2, 2019
PRE-ORDER: Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
When the new, brutal Superior banishes Nomi from Bellaqua, she finds herself powerless and headed towards her all-but-certain death. Her only hope is to find her sister, Serina, on the prison island of Mount Ruin. But when Nomi arrives, it is not the island of conquered, broken women that they expected. It is an island in the grip of revolution, and Serina--polite, submissive Serina--is its leader. Betrayal, grief, and violence have changed both sisters, and the women of Mount Ruin have their sights set on revenge beyond the confines of their island prison. They plan to sweep across the entire kingdom, issuing in a new age of freedom for all. But first they'll have to get rid of the new Superior, and only Nomi knows how. Separated once again, this time by choice, Nomi and Serina must forge their own paths as they aim to tear down the world they know, and build something better in its place. The stakes are higher and the battles bolder in Tracy Banghart's unputdownable sequel to Grace and Fury.
Let me know in the comments below what titles you are most excited for in 2019!
Friday 18 January 2019
Thursday 17 January 2019
[Teaser] Falling for the Cowboy by Kennedy Fox
Falling For The Cowboy by Kennedy Fox is coming on Jan 31!
#preorder #sexycowboy #oppositesattract #cowboyCasanova
PREORDER HERE:
Amazon US → https://amzn.to/2LBkCMC
Amazon International → http://bit.ly/2FcWgJc
Apple Books → https://apple.co/2I5NGKc
Kobo → http://bit.ly/2xyHZAt
B&N → http://bit.ly/2O5ez6o
Wednesday 16 January 2019
Monday 7 January 2019
Saturday 5 January 2019
Batch Reviews #10
Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: Avon Books - HarperCollins
Pages: 384
My Review: This was one of the December reads for my #supersexybookclub - we wanted something Christmas themed for the holidays and we found this one. This is my first time reading something by Jill Shavis, and I definitely enjoy the humor in her writing. The story follows Lucas, an investigator, who is recently healing from bullet wounds and taking pain meds. He wakes up one morning after mixing alcohol with his meds to find his longtime crush, Molly, in bed next to him. Although nothing really happened between the two, Molly enjoys playing with him. They both like each other, but things are difficult because 1) they work together, and 2) Lucas' partner at work also happens to be Molly's brother. When Molly offers to help some elves at a Christmas village uncover why the Santa owning the place isn't paying his workers decently, Lucas is sent to babysit Molly so that she doesn't get herself into a lot of trouble. They work with some hilarious elves, and there's lots of laugh out loud moments that involve some elf costumes. There's the mystery of what's really going on there, while Lucas and Molly find themselves drawn to one another. They've taken on this no-strings-attached attitude, which like always, doesn't really end well since they start falling for one another. While I do enjoy Shavis' writing, I did find Molly a bit unbearable at times and I also felt there was so much wrapped up in this short book. Molly and her brother have a past experience that forever shaped them, and I felt that should've been highlighted more. I know this book is technically #6 in the series, but they can all be read as standalones, but I'm definitely curious to go back and read the other books in the series to get a better picture of all the other characters in the book. I will say, I did enjoy the christmas/holiday elements most!
Available for purchase:
Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: HQN Books
Pages: 384
My Review: The story follows Callen Laramie, who has made a name for himself and a successful business in Dallas, and has no plans to return to his hometown of Coldwater, Texas. That is, until he gets a wedding invitation to his foster father, Buck's wedding. Even though Buck saved Callen and his brothers from a horrible foster family, everything about Coldwater just reminds Callen of what he's been through, so he's not too keen to be there. There's also someone that he's always had feelings for but never acted on: Buck's daughter, Shelby. You immediately see that there's chemistry between the two, and with the no-strings-attached attitude they've adopted because Callen doesn't plan on staying long, doesn't really seem to be working out for them. We learn that there's a reason why Buck wanted Callen to return so much. I will say though, I know that this is the first of the series so there's a lot of groundwork being put to set up for the future books, but there was just so much in this book that I feel some parts were a little rushed, especially the end. The book is really more about the Laramie brother's relationship with Buck's family and how they are able to find forever homes for those stuck in the foster care system. It's also about rehabilitation when you learn that a loved one is sick, and what comes after that. There's also healing from the trauma of the past. In a way, the love story kind of became secondary, and this really read more like Callen's story. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I wish there was more than the couple of pages towards the end with the giant love declaration and the hint of HEA. I'm sure we'll see more of Callen and Shelby in the next books. This was my first time reading something by Delores Fossen, and I'm definitely intrigued about the other Laramie brothers, especially Judd, whose book is next I believe? It's a nice little read that got me in the mood for the holidays because it features a wedding on during Christmas time.
Available for purchase:
Harlequin - Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the Harlequin Publicity Team in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: HQN Books
Pages: 496
My Review: Yes, this is another one where it's my first time reading something by the author. I was sent this book, and technically, it's #4 in a series that can be read standalones. The main story follows McKenna, who has come to Gold Valley in search of her birth father with nothing. She dreams of having a perfect happy ending like the one she read in Anne of Green Gables. She ends up on Get Out of Dodge farm (lol, I love that name), and they offer her a job to help her get back on her feet. She is immediately attracted to Grant Dodge, who is really closed off. I have to admit, when I first started the book, I really did not see the fascination with Grant. Sure, McKenna thought he was good looking, but he wasn't particularly engaging and was really stand-offish. The reader comes to learn about what keeps him so closed off, and his story-line ends up much deeper than I anticipated. The story deals with finding your family, your sense of home, but also learning to grieve properly and let go of the past. In the end, I did like that McKenna and Grant came together on equal footing and were able to finally shed their past and expectations. I'm definitely curious about the other characters and I do like Yates' writing, so I am going to check out the other books in the Gold Valley series. This book also included a novella at the end titled Snowed in with the Cowboy, and it follows Chloe, who is fighting an attraction for her step-brother. It's not a particular trope that I often read, or even enjoy for that matter, and because it's a novella, it's extremely short and it didn't feel fully fleshed out in my opinion. I also get that they've known each other for a long time, but it did feel a bit insta-lovey. I recommend picking this up for the main story, but the novella was unfortunately, not my cup of tea.
Available for purchase:
Harlequin - Chapters/Indigo - Amazon - Kindle - Kobo - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the Harlequin Publicity Team in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
[Teaser] Falling for the Cowboy by Kennedy Fox
Falling For The Cowboy by Kennedy Fox is coming on Jan 31!
#preorder #sexycowboy #oppositesattract
PREORDER HERE:
Amazon US → https://amzn.to/2LBkCMC
Amazon International → http://bit.ly/2FcWgJc
Apple Books → https://apple.co/2I5NGKc
Kobo → http://bit.ly/2xyHZAt
B&N → http://bit.ly/2O5ez6o
Friday 4 January 2019
Blog Tour - Evermore by Sara Holland - Review & Author Guest Post
Publishing Date: December 31, 2018
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 368
Young Adult Fantasy
The Premise from the Publisher: "Jules Ember confronts the girl who is both her oldest friend and greatest enemy in the highly anticipated sequel to Everless, praised by New York Times bestelling author Stephanie Garber as “an intoxicating blend of blood, secrets, and haunting mythology.” Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: She is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress. The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Now Jules must piece together the stories of her past lives to save the person who has captured her heart in this one" (HC).
My overall thoughts and review: **This is the sequel to Everless by Sara Holland and the second part of the duology(?) - to avoid spoilers here, be sure to check out my review for the first novel here!** Moving onto the review, the story picks up quite immediately after Everless ends. Jules has learned the truth about her and Caro, and just how far their friendship goes, and she doesn't really have time to mourn the death of Roan or the Queen. She's immediately branded as the murderer even though she's innocent, and she attempts to flee back to her old home to see her friend. However, that takes a dark turn. Jules quickly learns that Caro will stop at nothing to hurt her, and that means that everyone she cares about is in danger. She is at first captured by Caro, but then she is rescued by Liam, Roan's brother. They attempt to learn more about Jules' past with Caro, and the true nature of their relationship as Alchemist and Sorceress, and Fox and Snake. There's a lot of mystery and old memories as it's clear that Caro and Jules had a friendship that turned quite dark, and it's lived on throughout the years. I do feel that what drew me into the book series previously didn't really fully deliver this time around. Some secondary characters introduced in the second book weren't mentioned again, and we were given new secondary characters that I now want more of, such as Liam's friend, Elias, or the hedge witch, Stef. I did like though that the love story wasn't the main focal point of the text, even though I wish there was more development between Jules and Liam. I also feel strange about Liam, and maybe that's my romance reader coming out, but I wanted a bit more in terms of actually talking about feelings. Overall, it was a decent conclusion to the previous book, but again, I wish it was more of what the first one was in terms of pacing, mystery, and action.
My rating of the book: ✮✮✮½ (3.5/5 stars)
Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository
Author Guest Post from Sara Holland
There are so many reasons we love books, but one virtue that goes underappreciated, in my opinion, are their capacity to carry memories--totally separate from the words on the page, and yet woven through, the reader's story woven in with that of the author. I don't know if this is true for other people—I suspect it is—but for me, just like smells immediately evoke memories, so do books. Especially if a book left a strong impression on me, I'll usually retain a strong memory of where i was when I read it. And sometimes even more than "where". Sometimes just holding a book evokes a whole other feeling, state of mind.And holding them again, no matter how many years later, puts me right back in that place. With HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, it's sitting at the kitchen table of the house I grew up in, the rest of the house dark and silent as I read through the night. With CITY OF BONES, it's pre-calc class, the book hidden behind my propped-up math textbook (in retrospect, my teacher definitely saw through that!). With OUTLANDER, I'm in a hammock in a screened-in porch, the summer after graduating college, waiting for my job and my life to begin. And so on and so forth. Everything about books—the cover, the feel and weight of it in my hands, the swish of the pages, and especially the story and characters—make them great vessels for memories. Even eBooks and audiobooks work the same way, for books I really love.
And really, I think that's one of the coolest things about books. They're more than stories and more than objects; the presence and involvement of the reader makes them more than the sum of their parts. I imagine copies upon copies rolling off the assembly lines, waiting on the shelves of stores and libraries, but as soon as a reader opens the pages, it instantly turns into something unique—their book. No two people will experience a book the same way, and yet there are enough commonalities for a whole awesome community to exist around a book or series. I will never get over how cool that is!
Disclaimer: I had an e-ARC of this copy ahead of time and I collaborated with Glasstown Entertainment and Sara Holland to participate in this blog tour. All opinions are my own.
[Cover Reveal] When August Ends by Penelope Ward
A Standalone Contemporary Romance Novel
NY Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Penelope Ward
RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2019
Wednesday 2 January 2019
Top 5 Books of 2018
Hi everyone. I know I'm a few days late, but wishing you all a happy new year! I meant to post this right on new years day but I spent the day yesterday reading an arc that I was highly anticipating. I hope you'll still enjoy this post regardless. This is my list of top 5 books of 2018. They are not all necessarily published in 2018, but rather I read the in 2018 and I loved them! I did mostly read romance this year, but I included one contemporary fiction read and one YA read. Reviews are attached unless stated otherwise. Please give each of these books a look, I promise you won't be disappointed! :D
#5
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi - Review here!
#4
Harmless Like You by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
#3
Dirty Headlines by L.J. Shen - Review here!
#2
Dirty Exes by Rachel Van Dyken - Review here!
#1
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang - Review here!
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